Charlie Webster - A week of U21 apathy, Team GB and men of the moment

24 June 2011 12:34

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It has been a funny old week in football. I have done a straight run of presenting Sky Sports News. It started by watching the poor performance of England’s U21’s over in Denmark. Word is that half of them didn’t want to be there and the camp lacked unity and togetherness despite what was portrayed by the cameras.

To be fair I don’t think you can hide that in football as it clearly comes out on the pitch through the football, which it did. The worse thing was at the same time as watching England’s scrappy attempts against the Czech Republic I had Spain on the screen next to it which makes it even more evident how far behind England is in the national game.

The great thing about the Sky Sports News studios is there are so many screens that you can have a different live sport on each one. Anyway back to the match, it was like watching a League One game, which I’ll be watching a lot of this season being a Sheffield United fan and then next to it having a Premier League game on. Oh well the players all get to go on their hols and then head back to their clubs on their nice little wage packet.

Fast forward a day or so and in the space of 48 hours I must have said the man of the moment’s name, Andre Villas-Boas, more times than I’ve said any other word all month, including the commonest word ‘the’, I suppose that isn’t really saying something coming from Sheffield ‘the’ doesn’t tend to exist, just a ‘t’ to get us through’t communication. You get my jist though. Inexperience that, Jose Mourinho this and the ‘sensitive one’ that. I’m actually really intrigued to see if he can just blow everybody out of the park this up and coming season.

The 33 year old may not have Champions League experience which is what everybody keeps picking up on but he has been in football since he was a teenager, watching, listening and learning for the past 17 years from some of the best. AVB is well versed on sports psychology which is the one thing I believe that separates players and teams from being good to being the best. The new Chelsea boss is going for 4 trophies in his first season, very bold statement. You can’t fault his ambition I just hope Roman Abramovich understands.

And finally the fallout over a GB football team at the Olympics 2012. It would be quite strange to watch, a team made up of all the home nations. However I’m not going to get into the politics in all this as I find it all a little bit childish and narrow minded especially by the opposing individual FA’s. What’s the difference from the athletes from the different home nations competing under Team GB and the football player’s? It’s good enough for the athletes so why not for football? Surely the players themselves should get to decide? What an amazing once in a life time opportunity it would be for the players as well.So who would be part of the squad?

The FA has already ruled out any players taking part in the Euro 2012. David Beckham is definitely up for a role. Marc Albrighton? Gareth Bale? Barry Bannan? John Carson? The list goes on. You never know this might actually be our opportunity to win something in football. Only thing is they now need to sell the tickets for the football as 1.7 million remain of the 2.3. Up steps David Beckham.